title: GEMSP exerts a myelin-protecting role in the rat optic nerve.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chronic experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) was induced in rats to evaluate the potential protective effect of GEMSP, a mixture made up of fatty acids (FA), vitamins, and amino acids or their derivatives, linked to Poly-L-Lysine, on the myelin sheath of the optic nerve.
  
  
  METHODS
  To evaluate the effects of GEMSP on the optic nerve, animals were divided into three experimental groups: (1) EAE rats treated with GEMSP; (2) EAE rats treated with 0.9% NaCl; and (3) control, non-EAE rats. Using electron microscopy, we investigated the possibility that this new drug candidate has a myelin-protective role.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A marginally significant reduction in the thickness of the myelin around optic nerve medium-size axons (diameter between 0.8-1.3 μm) was found in EAE rats. Treatment of EAE rats with GEMSP ameliorated myelin damage. Significantly increased myelin thickness was found when animals in groups 2 and 3 were compared. However, the number of myelinated axons studied was not altered in groups 1 or 2 when compared to controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that in a model of demyelination, GEMSP protects and enhances the formation of the myelin sheath of the optic nerve and therefore could be a potential drug candidate to reduce optic nerve pathogenesis in multiple sclerosis (MS).
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neuroanatomy of the Peptidergic Systems (Lab. 14), Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mangas
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vecino
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: David Rodríguez
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Geffard
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Coveñas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D055666:Lipopeptides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D011107:Polylysine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D002491:Central Nervous System Agents; D055666:Lipopeptides; D011107:Polylysine